Improving thromboprophylaxis using atrial fibrillation diagnostic capabilities in implantable cardioverter-defibrillators the multicentre italian ANGELS of AF project

Background-Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a well-established risk factor for stroke and thromboembolism and is a frequent comorbid arrhythmia in patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs). The Anticoagulation Use Evaluation and Life Threatening Events Sentinels (ANGELS) of AF project was a medical care program aimed at supporting adherence to oral anticoagulation (OAC) guidelines for thromboprophylaxis through the use of ICD AF diagnostics. Methods and Results-Fifty Italian cardiology clinics followed 3438 patients with ICDs. In a subgroup of 15 centers (the ANGELS of AF centers), cardiologists attending to follow-up visits were supplied with specific reports describing stroke risk factors and risk scores (American College of Chest Physicians and CHADS2 [congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥ 75 years, diabetes mellitus, and prior stroke or transient ischemic attack]), AF occurrence and duration, and current antithrombotic therapy for patients with AF, especially those with a CHADS2 score > 0 and not on OAC therapy. The remaining centers represented a control group of patients as a comparison of OAC use. In the ANGELS of AF centers, 709 (36%) patients had AF described either in their clinical history (n=426 [22%]) or as new-onset AF (n=257 [14%]). Among 683 (96%) patients with CHADS2 score > 0, 209 (30.6%) were not taking an OAC. Appropriate OAC therapy was prescribed in 10% (22/209) of patients after evaluation of ANGELS of AF reports. The percentage of patients on OAC therapy, as indicated by guidelines, increased during follow-up from 46.1% at baseline, to 69.4% at the stroke risk evaluation phase, to up to 72.6% at the end of the observation period. In control centers, corresponding figures were 46.9% at baseline and 56.8% at the end of the observation period (P